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GCSE
German
General Certificate of Secondary Education
Unit A712: Speaking
Mark Scheme for June 2012
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A712
Mark Scheme
June 2012
Moderation of
GCSE MFL Speaking
French A702 / German A712 / Spanish A722
Guide to Controlled Assessment Speaking
Section 5: Teacher Guidance on task
marking
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A712
Mark Scheme
June 2012
5 Teacher guidance on task marking
5.2 Unpacking assessment objectives in Controlled
Assessment tasks
Preparing to assess
Before starting any assessment make sure that the work itself fulfils the requirements of the
unit and allows students the possibility of showing the best of what they can do.

Before assessing the first candidate read carefully through the assessment criteria.

Be very clear about what you are assessing for each category of the assessment criteria.
There may be cases, for example, where a candidate communicates a great deal of
information and so achieves a high mark in that category, but the quality of language or the
pronunciation and intonation may be inconsistent and merit a different mark band. Be careful
to listen to the candidate’s performance in such a way as to be able to make clear
distinctions between each category of the assessment criteria and award marks
appropriately.

If there is a gap of a few days between assessing groups of candidates it may be useful to
plan to listen again to some candidates to make sure that you apply consistent standards.

Similarly it is a good idea to listen to some candidates from the previous assessment series
each time you start a new round of assessments. If you have a moderator’s report from
the previous series take the comments into account; they can be very helpful in developing a
consistent approach.
5.3 Interpretation of the Controlled Assessment marking criteria
Assessment objective and standards
The assessment of speaking derives from assessment objective AO2 in the national
subject criteria: Communicate in Speech
Grade descriptions, within the specification, have been provided to give an indication of the
standards of achievement likely to have been shown by candidates awarded grades A or C or F.
Grade A
Candidates initiate and develop conversations and discussions, present ideas and information,
and narrate events. They express and explain ideas and points of view, and produce longer
sequences of speech using a variety of vocabulary, structures and verb tenses. They speak
confidently, with accurate pronunciation and intonation. The message is clear although there
may still be some errors, especially when candidates use more complex structures.
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A712
Mark Scheme
June 2012
Grade C
Candidates take part in conversations and simple discussions, which contain a variety of
structures and may include different tenses or time frames. They express personal opinions,
present information and show an ability to deal with some unpredictable elements. Although
there may be some errors, they convey a clear message, and their pronunciation and intonation
are generally accurate.
Grade F
Candidates take part in simple conversations, can present simple information and can express
their opinions. Their pronunciation is understandable, and although there may be grammatical
inaccuracies the main points are communicated.
Using the criteria
Task(s) should be assessed by the teacher according to the assessment criteria within the
relevant unit using a ‘best fit’ approach. For each of the assessment criteria, select the
description that most closely describes the level of the work being assessed.
Marking should be positive, rewarding achievement and the production of successful language
throughout the test rather than penalising failure or omissions. The award of marks must be
directly related to the assessment criteria.
Listen carefully to the candidate. In each of the three categories (Communication, Quality of
Language, and Pronunciation and Intonation) try to locate the candidate in a band, initially,
and then allocate a mark within that band. Do this only once the test is complete, so that your
mark can be global, it is usually best to mark immediately at the end of the test whilst the
performance is still fresh in your mind.
To select the most appropriate mark within the band, use the following guidance:


Where the candidate’s work convincingly meets the statement, the higher mark should be
awarded
Where the candidate’s work just meets the statement, the lower mark should be awarded.
Teachers should use the full range of marks available and must award the top mark in any band
for work which fully meets the description. This is work which is ‘the best that could be expected
from students working at this level’.
One mark per assessment category is required. The final mark for each task is out of a total of
30. The marks for each task are then added together to give a total mark for the unit out of 60.
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA: SPEAKING
Task One
Communication
Quality of Language
Pronunciation and Intonation
Total
15 marks
10 marks
5 marks
30 marks
Communication
Quality of Language
Pronunciation and Intonation
Total
UNIT TOTAL
15 marks
10 marks
5 marks
30 marks
60 marks
Task Two
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A712
Mark Scheme
June 2012
Communication 15 marks
14 - 15
12 - 13
10 - 11
8-9
6-7
4-5
2-3
1
0
The candidate responds fully to all tasks/questions, including open-ended
ones. Uses relevant information to develop and justify individual ideas
and points of view.
Produces information spontaneously without being cued.
Usually gives extra information in response to tasks/questions, including
open-ended ones. Routinely expresses opinions and provides
justifications. Sometimes develops and explains own ideas.
Conveys information confidently without the need for repeated stimulus.
Produces enough language to address the tasks/questions competently.
Sometimes gives additional detail. Expresses more than straightforward
points of view, sometimes with justifications.
Often responds with sequences of information.
Tackles the range of set tasks/questions and communicates the essential
elements. Readily expresses points of view.
Can deal with some unpredictable questions. Only occasional hesitation.
Performs unevenly in response to the tasks/questions but tries to address
most of them. Expresses some opinions.
Makes some attempt to deal with unpredictable elements. Hesitant at
times.
Communicates with simple, short pieces of information in response to
straightforward tasks/questions. Occasionally gives opinions.
Attempts to link straightforward ideas. Hesitation usually in response to
unpredictable elements.
Communicates a few facts or ideas in response to well-practised
tasks/questions. Can express simple opinions. Sometimes irrelevant or
repetitive.
Communicates briefly in response to direct questions. Hesitant delivery.
Conveys only isolated pieces of information, even in response to very
simple tasks/questions.
Brief and monosyllabic. Single words in response to questions and
delivery is slow and hesitant.
Communicates no relevant information
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A712
Mark Scheme
June 2012
Quality of Language 10 marks
9 - 10
7-8
5-6
3-4
1-2
0
Confident and accurate use of a wide variety of clause types, vocabulary
and structures, including verb structures and tenses.
Very fluent, coherent and consistent – only one or two instances of minor
errors, usually in the most ambitious language.
A good range of structures and vocabulary, including verb structures and
tenses.
Uses more complex language features, but makes some mistakes. Fluent
most of the time and overall in control of the material.
Uses a range of straightforward structures and vocabulary, which may
include different tenses or time frames. Can connect verbs.
The response is sufficiently accurate for the basis of the message to be
clear and reasonably coherent.
Some awareness of verbs and time frames, but inconsistent overall.
Straightforward vocabulary and structures.
Everyday messages are sufficiently accurate to be comprehensible.
Only a few phrases or short sentences are accurate enough to be
recognisable.
Very simple sentence structure.
Nothing coherent or accurate enough to be comprehensible
Pronunciation and Intonation 5 marks
5
Very accurate for a non-target language speaker though there may be
some minor slips.
4
Mostly accurate with occasional errors.
3
Generally accurate, though there may be some instances of first
language interference.
2
Inconsistent but still some instances of accurate pronunciation and
intonation.
1
Very few instances of clear pronunciation and intonation, significant
first language influence prevents clarity.
0
Nothing coherent enough to be comprehensible.
5
A712
Mark Scheme
June 2012
Communication 15 marks
When assessing the work for communication, teachers must consider both parts of the
assessment, the presentation/interview/transactional part of the role play/discussion, and the
unexpected element. Teachers must ask unexpected questions to elicit a spontaneous
response, based on the candidate’s prepared work, and their knowledge of the candidate’s
ability. If a candidate shows that, as well as communicating the essential elements of the topic,
they can deal with these unexpected questions, with only occasional hesitation, teachers should
award within the 8-9 band for communication.
Similarly, to access full marks for communication candidates must respond fully to all tasks and
unexpected questions, and have developed and justified their ideas and points of view. To be
able to do this, they will have to be able to use a variety of tenses, vocabulary and structures, as
specified within the grammar list in the specification.
Key words within the bands
14-15
12-13
10-11
8-9
6-7
4-5
2-3
1
0
fully, develop, justify, individual ideas and points of view, spontaneously
usually, extra, routinely, sometimes develops/explains own ideas, confidently
enough, competently, sometimes, more than straightforward, often
tackles, communicates, readily, some, occasional
unevenly, tries, some opinions, some attempt, hesitant at times
simple, short, occasionally, attempts to link, hesitation
a few, simple, sometimes irrelevant/repetitive, hesitant
isolated, brief, monosyllabic, single words, slow, hesitant
nothing relevant
N.B. A mark of 0 for communication will mean a mark of 0 for Quality of Language and
Pronunciation/Intonation
Quality of Language 10 marks
As it suggests, Quality of Language, identifies and categorizes the variety of language the
candidate produces, including the variety of vocabulary, verb tenses, and structures attempted.
Key words within bands
9-10
7-8
5-6
3-4
1-2
0
confident, accurate, wide variety, very fluent, coherent, consistent, ambitious, odd
minor error
good range, more complex, some mistakes, most of the time, overall control
a range, straightforward, can, sufficiently accurate, clear, reasonably coherent
some awareness, overall inconsistent, straightforward, everyday, sufficiently accurate
a few accurate phrases, very simple
nothing comprehensible
‘Wide variety’ means using a wide range of grammar from both the foundation and higher
grammar lists, including a variety of tenses, adverbs and adjectives, quantifiers and intensifiers,
linking words, both subordinate and co-ordinating. Candidates who only use grammar from the
foundation grammar list will not be able to access the higher bands for quality of language.
Pronunciation and Intonation 5 marks
This assessment category concerns the level of accuracy in delivery of the candidate’s language
and is fairly self-explanatory. The key point to bear in mind for band 5 is that the candidate does
not need to be a target language speaker! It may be that it is difficult to tell whether they are or
not. As long as they are very accurate, they are allowed some minor slips.
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A712
Mark Scheme
June 2012
‘Minor slips’ means odd errors, which do not prevent communication and could even occur with
a first language speaker, e.g. confusion of gender.
In Band 4, candidates are allowed occasional errors; these may be major and cause ambiguity
in complex structures, though they will be few in number.
In Band 3, first language interference will be noticeable on occasions.
In Band 2, there will be some clarity, but some delivery may not be clear, due to pronunciation
and intonation, i.e. there will be a lot of mistakes.
In Band 1, communication will be seriously impaired, and an award of 0 will mean that nothing
can be understood.
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